Skiing Tips

Be a Better Skier!

Olympian Ted Ligety's advice to shred any mountain

With athletes touching speeds of up to 80 miles per hour, downhill events like the giant slalom and super-G may be the ultimate tests of balance, power, and control at the Winter Games. Olympic gold medalist and three-time world champ Ted Ligety has learned that, in order to perform, he has to maintain perfect form on the mountain and a rigorous work ethic off it.

Here are his tips to take your skills—whether you're a beginner or a big-mountain veteran—to the next level.

1. Fuel up. You won't last long on the mountain once your energy fails, Ligety says. "Most of the time, our sport happens first thing in the morning, so it's important that I have something in my system that's going to last a while." Along with a bowl of cereal (he's a Frosted Mini Wheats guy), he reaches for protein-packed energy bars and dried fruit—a good source of fiber and carbs that won't weigh you down on a snow-covered slope.

2. Gear up. Your boots in particular need to fit perfectly, or you're going to be either uncomfortable or unable to properly control your skis, he explains. Ligety recommends a snug boot fit that's not so tight your toes are mashed. Rent skis to match the conditions of the day and the mountain, he says. "If it hasn't snowed in two weeks, you don't want big, fat powder skis," he adds.

3. Focus on the basics. Whether you're a deep-powder expert or a greenhorn, if you forget the fundamentals of proper form, you're going to end up on your butt. "The most important thing is to flex toward the front of your boots." By staying forward "over your skis" and standing tall—not leaning back or crouching—you'll improve your balance and command of your equipment, he says.

4. Prepare for the mountain. "Your core muscles are really important to keep everything lined up and stabilized." Ligety recommends exercises like planks, plyometrics, and lunges to help your body manage the force of skiing. He also suggests mountain biking as a great way to train. "It's good cardio, and the vision involved in picking your lines and reacting fast as things come at you is a lot like downhill skiing."

5. Up the ante. If you want to improve, you have to focus on perfecting your form on the hardest terrain you can handle, Ligety says. Once you feel like you're in complete control of your technique and your equipment, you're ready to move on to the next challenge, be it off-trail powder runs or Blue Squares.